The Road Goes Ever On and On
by StarrFlower
Summary: Kedriel and Eolayn have been summoned by their old teacher to assist in the War of the Ring. What they didn't expect to find were phantoms from their pasts and reawakened feelings that they thought were gone forever...
1. Summoned

**A/N: Yay! New story! I have loved the Lord of the Rings ever since it first came out and my best friend finally convinced me to write down this idea that I've had for a really long time when I told it to her while we were sitting on the side of a volcano in New Mexico…Long story…Please don't ask…Ok hope you all enjoy. Please review and tell me what you think. Thanks! **

Kedriel sat upright by the fire, surveying the vast landscape around her. Eolayn was sitting on the other side of the fire, reading the letter for the hundredth time.

"It's so quiet," Kedriel said, the glowing fire reflecting in her hazel eyes. Eolayn finished reading and looked up in frustration.

"Why do you think he wants us?" Eolayn said, ignoring Kedriel's observation.

"I've read through that letter a hundred times and I still can't make heads or tails of it," Kedriel replied.

"But Gandalf must have had a reason for sending for us," Eolayn muttered, more to herself than to Kedriel. "Do you think it could have anything to do with the Fellowship?"

"I suppose it could be." As former students of Gandalf they knew all about the One Ring and the Fellowship. They had been summoned by their old teacher and were currently traveling through the outer reaches of Rohan.

"Well, he told us to make for Helm's Deep, so that is what we must do," Kedriel said. "And you're the one who knows the way."

"Yes," Eolayn said softly. "We are a ways off still. It'll be at least another three days."

"Very well," Kedriel said, standing up and stretching her arms behind her head. "I'll take the first watch." Eolayn made no objection and gave her black stallion, Mordo, a handful of oats before laying on her bedroll by the fire.

~*~

Eolayn's watch was relatively quiet; a few birds and one deer, but other than that, there was nothing. Kedriel awoke just before the sun rose and insisted that they be on their way as soon as possible. Eolayn agreed and mounted her powerful charger. Kedriel climbed atop her white mare, Faire, after gathering her supplies.

"Direction?" Kedriel asked.

"Southwest," Eolayn replied, nodding in the general direction that they should go.

"Alright." Kedriel spurred her horse into a gallop and Eolayn followed quickly, her powerful stallion quickly overtaking the mare.

They rode until midday when they stopped to water the horses and steal a bite to eat themselves. While the horses rested, Eolayn took a moment to survey the familiar surroundings. After all, she had once called Rohan home.

"Is this close to where you used to live?" Kedriel asked, taking a bite to eat out of a piece of Lembas Bread. They rarely spoke to each other of their pasts, and Kedriel took this as an opportunity to get to know her friend better.

"No," Eolayn said whimsically, shaking her head. "I lived in Edoras, which is south of here. We won't pass by it though. From here, we have a straight shot to Helm's Deep." Kedriel only grunted slightly. "Do you ever miss your home?" Eolayn asked.

"I was very young when I left Lothlorien, and my family had all died long before I left," she said sadly. "I suppose that I miss the beauty of the forest, but I have no reason to return."

"No dashing young elves that caught your attention?" Eolayn asked, smirking slightly.

"No, not at all." Kedriel laughed, but she couldn't help but think of a certain young elf who'd managed to steal her heart, then break it completely. "What about yourself? Any farmhands who asked you to elope with them?" Eolayn laughed heartily.

"No!" she said, slapping Kedriel's arm lightly. "I was fourteen when I left. The only people that were my age were all girls. All the men were either ancient or too young to know what manhood is. I had many friends, but there wasn't a single man in sight."

"I see," Kedriel replied. "Well, enough talk. Let's be on our way." They both mounted their horses and galloped across the sweeping plains and hills.

~*~

Dusk had already fallen by the time they stopped to make camp. The horses were exhausted and they knew that they would have to make a later start the following day.

Eolayn started a fire while Kedriel fetched the waterskins. She handed Eolayn hers and took a long drought from her own.

"We're in for a hard day's ride tomorrow," Eolayn said. "We should be there on the afternoon of the day after that. We made better time than I thought we would today."

"Good," Kedriel replied. "The sooner we find out what we're doing here, the better."

"I agree," Eolayn said, stoking the fire and sending sparks into the air. Grabbing a smooth stone from her pocket, she pulled her hand-and-a-half sword from its sheath. She began to scrape the stone across the blade, sharpening it and making even more sparks.

Kedriel's preferred weapon was the bow and arrow, but she kept a shortsword as well. Eolayn also kept a longbow and arrows but her sword was her preferred weapon.

"Do you think that Gandalf sent for us because he knows that there will be battle?" Eolayn asked. "We've been seeing bands of Orcs and Wildmen running freely through the land ever since we got here. I think that Rohan is in trouble, and I think Gandalf knows it. Sauruman is gathering his forces with the intention of destroying Rohan, I'm sure of it."

"You think he will move to Gondor next?" Kedriel asked, hoping it wouldn't come to that. Eolayn looked at the ground, her gold-green eyes filled with worry.

"I think that Sauruman will focus on what is close to him: Rohan," she said. "But Sauron will focus on what is closest to _him:_ the realm of Gondor."

"That is indeed dangerous," Kedriel said, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "Sauron has an untold number of Orcs and Uruk-Hai at his disposal. Not to mention the Nazgul. He will isolate the races of men and slaughter them."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Eolayn said threateningly, thrusting her sword into the soft soil.

"Aye," Kedriel agreed.

"I'll take first watch," Eolayn said, standing and replacing her sword in its scabbard. Kedriel did not object and went straight to sleep.

~*~

They rode hard all day, stopping briefly for a rest at midday. As soon as they made camp later that night, Eolayn went straight to sleep without making conversation. They were going to need as much rest as they could get.

Eolayn awoke Kedriel before dawn. "We best get going. I have a strange feeling," she said.

"What's the matter?" Kedriel asked drearily.

"I'm not entirely sure," she replied, searching the horizon. "I feel that an evil has befallen this land."

Kedriel quickly got her things together so that they could be on their way. They rode without rest. A little past midday, they came upon a sight that sent a chill through their bones.

"I told you evil had befallen this land," Eolayn said. Before then, a company of Warg Riders hurtled toward a small band of Rohirric warriors, weapons raised and death blazing in their eyes.

** All right review please! This chapter was pretty short compared to ones to come. Please give suggestions if you wish of who you want to see the girls end up with because I will tell you now, things are gonna get steamy in the next chapter. **** Hehe. Thanks for reading!**


	2. First Meetings

**A/N: Yay for reviews! So nobody has specified who they want the girls to end up with so…I decided for myself. ****Snooze you loose. Sorry if it's not who you wanted***** Please enjoy! **

"We must help them," Eolayn said, looking at her friend who nodded quickly in reply. The battle was just beginning to start when they reached the small valley.

Kedriel pulled out her longbow and notched an arrow. She let loose and pierced an Orc through the heart, quite startling the man it was about to attack. He nodded his thanks and turned to another Orc headed straight for him.

During the course of the battle, Eolayn noticed that there was an elf and a dwarf fighting with the men of Rohan. There was also a man who bore the look of a Ranger from the North. As she was cutting down her fourth Orc she noticed the Ranger in trouble. His hand was attached to a Warg and he couldn't get loose. The Ranger threw its rider from the Warg. Eolayn quickly sprang into action, spurring her stallion forward.

She raced after the pair and suddenly noticed that they were heading toward a cliff. Finally, she pulled up next to him and reached down a hand to help. "Take my hand!" she shouted. He looked up at her, startled. His surprise didn't last long and he reached for her hand, but her horse was too tall. Her reach wouldn't go far enough! He struggled in vain. Glancing up, Eolayn noticed that the edge of the cliff was rapidly approaching. She looked back down at him, steal reaching out a hand, and a look of knowing entered his gorgeous blue eyes.

And then…He was just…gone. Eolayn's horse veered sharply to the left and reared into the sky to avoid falling over the cliff as well. Eolayn vaulted off the horse, landed belly-down on the ground, and extended out over the cliff. She caught a fleeting glimpse of the Ranger and that beast penetrating the raging river below, but no more.

"No!" she screamed. There had been a strange feeling that had come over Eolayn when she saw the Ranger: like she had to save him. Slowly, she got to her feet and noticed that the battle was drawing to a close. They had won…barely, and with heavy losses. Bodies of men, horses, Orcs, and Wargs alike lay scattered across the battlefield. A few stragglers were escaping like cowards, but she needn't worry about them.

Then she saw the elf running towards the cliff. He passed by without even noticing her. It was then that she saw the Orc that had been riding the Warg the Ranger had been hooked on. He was still alive, and laughing maniacally. The elf heard him and he strode over angrily.

"Where is he?" he spat angrily. The Orc only laughed harder, blood spewing from his mouth.

"He took a little tumble off the cliff," the Orc snarled wickedly. The elf's brow furrowed in anger.

"You lie!" he growled through a clenched jaw. The Orc gave one last crazed laugh before its savage eyes glazed over and he breathed no more. The elf pried its hand open and retrieved a small, silver necklace.

"He wasn't lying," Eolayn said softly, grieving, but for reasons she couldn't understand. The elf's head snapped toward her. It seemed to be the first time he'd noticed her standing there. He jumped up and roughly grabbed her by the jerkin.

"Who are you?" he snarled threateningly.

"A friend," she replied hastily, holding her hands up to show that she meant no harm. He started to retort, but Kedriel laid a hand on his shoulder, causing him to stop. He looked at her and his demeanor instantly changed. His body grew rigid but his hold on Eolayn relaxed. "_Elves" _Eolayn thought to herself, rolling her eyes slightly.

"Ilya tolde e'coiasira, haba mellon," Kedriel said gently. "Ta il i'coiasira ri' i'yamen'" The elf nodded knowingly, then he turned back to Eolayn, slowly releasing her.

"Forgive me," he said, his voice becoming smooth and gentle.

"Of course," Eolayn growled, straightening out her jerkin and fixing her hauberk. Suddenly, a tall man strode over to them. He wore clothes of a fine-make and an air of authority and respect hung about him. The two women instantly recognized him as King Théoden of Rohan. He looked solemnly over the cliff where the Ranger had fallen.

"The Wolves of Isengard will return," he said, his voice deep and grave. "Carry the wounded on horseback! Leave the dead." He looked sadly at the elf and placed a hand on his shoulder. Then he turned to Eolayn and Kedriel, who were now standing close together. "I would like to thank you for the great service you did us in the battle, though I am not sure who you are. You fought bravely and fiercely. Please, what are your names?" The elf looked at them as though he were wondering the same thing. The two women glanced at each other uncertainly.

"I fear that that information must wait until later," Eolayn said as politely as she could manage, "when we are all delivered safely to the keep."

"How did you know that we are going to Helm's Deep?" the elf asked suspiciously. Eolayn shifted her glance into his dark blue eyes.

"That too must wait," she said softly. Something flashed in his eyes but Eolayn couldn't tell what it was.

"Come," Kedriel said, pulling her friend towards where their horses were and joined the party at the back of the caravan once they'd mounted them. Once she was certain they were safe from most of the prying ears, Kedriel spoke in a hushed whisper. "Uma, Eolayn, sut lle ron a'Helm's Deep?" Eolayn only shrugged.

"Just a feeling I had," she replied. Kedriel only rolled her eyes.

"You and your feelings are going to get us killed one of these days," she grumbled. Eolayn only smirked and spurred her horse into a canter to pull ahead of the other trotting horses. Kedriel followed closely behind. Eolayn slowed when her stallion reached the king, his general, and the elf on his milky white horse. After a moment of puzzled glances, Eolayn finally realized that the fuzzy lump sitting behind him on the horse was the dwarf she'd seen earlier. He wore an iron helm and a large axe clasped at his side. A rust-colored beard sprouted from his chin and reached down past his belt, but friendly eyes shone in their sockets.

After a while of silence and unanswered questions hanging in the air, Helm's Deep finally came into their view. All of the men breathed sighs of relief, as did Kedriel and Eolayn. They all quickened their pace and reached the keep within a quarter of an hour.

The echo of pounding hooves resounded off of the stone walls. Shouts and sheers from peasants greeted them from everywhere. They traveled up through the open stone passageways until they came to a sort of courtyard where everyone began to dismount. Kedriel and Eolayn followed and two stable boys led their horses off to be fed and watered in the stables.

King Théoden signaled for them to follow him up a staircase of stone. They quickly obeyed and noticed a blonde woman pushing through the crowd, trying to reach the king. He stopped momentarily to look at her sadly and a look of despair and anguish covered her face.

As they continued through the crowds of people, Eolayn suddenly felt the elf and the dwarf come up beside her, but she paid them no mind. King Théoden led them into a sort of makeshift throne room and long, wooden tables running along the sides.

Théoden stepped up on his throne and sat down, folding his hands beneath his chin. The elf stood by the burly dwarf who'd just taken the liberty of sitting at a table to watch the scene unfold.

"My men and I are most thankful for the help you provided us with," the king said, "but I should like to know exactly who you are."

Kedriel bowed her head in respect for the king. "My lord," she said, looking back up, "my name is Kedriel of Lothlorien: a student of the Mithrandir."

"I am Eolayn," the other woman said, bowing her head as well, "also a student of the Mithrandir." There was a look of surprise on the king's face.

"Mithrandir!" he exclaimed. "By the stars, then what are you two doing out here!" Eolayn glanced at her companion who signaled that she should continue.

"We were students of Gandalf Grayheim until he embarked upon his quest with the Fellowship of the Ring," Eolayn began. "We are now aware that he is Gandalf the White and we received a most unexpected message from him about a week ago. Luckily, we'd been traveling not too far away so it didn't take us too long to reach you.

"In the message, Gandalf requested our help and told us that we should make for Helm's Deep with all haste. We were on our way here when we ran into you being attacked by the company of Warg Riders." King Théoden rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"What excellent timing you have," he muttered. Kedriel stepped ahead of Eolayn slightly.

"Forgive me, Sire, but where exactly is Gandalf? We would very much like to speak to him," she said.

"I'm afraid he isn't here," the king said regretfully. "He left when we were still in Edoras to seek out help." Eolayn and Kedriel both secretly cursed their bad luck. He was gone and they had no way of knowing when he would return.

"Damn," Eolayn muttered under her breath.

"How are we supposed to know what we're doing here?" Kedriel said quietly in frustration.

"Excuse me," the elf in the corner said, stepping forward, "but are you saying that you don't even know why you are here?" Eolayn swung her head around when he spoke.

"That's exactly what we are saying," she seethed, probably a bit too harshly. "Gandalf only asked us to come here. He never actually said what exactly it was that he wanted us to do once we arrived." He furrowed his brow but said nothing in reply. Slowly, Eolayn turned back to the king sitting upon his throne.

"Well, you are most welcome in these halls until you purpose becomes clear," he said. Eolayn and Kedriel thanked him and quickly exited the throne room.

"Manke lle ro wanwa?" Kedriel asked once they were outside again. Eolayn placed her right index finger against her temple.

"N'uma noa," she replied in an exasperated tone. "Ie'sina til er ere'tanya ro lye a'dagora."

"Uma," Kedriel said, crossing her arms. "Man'mani, il suren." Eolayn stared around her at all of the peasants packed tightly into the keep.

"Ron ier ilya ikotane agorga," Eolayn whispered. She had the ability to sense vaguely the emotions of those all around her and she could sense the fear; the air was thick with it.

"Did you see that Ranger that fell off the cliff at the battle?" Kedriel asked, returning to the language of men and violently steering the subject of the conversation in another direction.

"Yes," she replied, recalling the Ranger's scruffy face and his sad, blue eyes. "I tried to save him before he plummeted to his doom, but I could not reach him in tie. What about him?"

"There was something about him," she said slowly. "I can't put a finger on it but I somehow feel like I know who he is, but the name won't come to me."

"I feel the same way," Eolayn said, slightly surprised that Kedriel felt the same odd sensation that she had. Kedriel was an elf, but she usually wasn't as in-tuned to the emotional beings of humans as she was.

"Now I guess we'll never know," she mumbled sadly. They mulled about for a while, exploring the keep in order to pass the time. A couple of hours after they had arrived, a great commotion roused in the courtyard outside of the throne room.

Eolayn and Kedriel raced over to see what all of the fuss was about and they saw a man riding in on a chestnut stallion, the crowds following him. He dismounted the horse and went up the stone stairs to be greeted by the blonde elf. They exchanged words briefly and then the elf handed him something. Eolayn and Kedriel were standing nearby and they saw that it was the silver jewel that the elf had retrieved from the Orc earlier. It was then that Eolayn noticed the blonde woman she'd seen before stop next to them, a look of joy, but also hurt, on her face.

Eolayn quickly ignored the woman and stepped closer, only to realize that the scraggly and haggard man was actually the Ranger she'd tried to save before. He was alive! "Kedriel!" she exclaimed, turning to her friend. But she had already noticed and was rejoicing as well, though neither was quite sure why.

Before Eolayn could approach the man he spread wide the doors to the throne room and entered. Eolayn followed in closely behind the elf, Kedriel hot on her heels. The Ranger approached the throne and bowed only slightly before continuing.

"A host of ten-thousand Orcs marches against us. They will be here by nightfall," he said. A hushed silence suddenly fell over the throne room. The Ranger gazed up at the king, waiting for a response.

"Ten-thousand," he muttered gravely. After a long pause, he spoke again. "Gather every man and boy who can bear arms. Equip them with armor and weaponry," he said to his general, Gamling. The man nodded curtly and began barking orders at his soldiers.

Kedriel and Eolayn glanced at each other in despair. "Caer-nir," Kedriel breathed, her voice distressed. Eolayn noticed the blonde woman she'd seen earlier rush past them and kneel by the king's side, talking to him in earnest. The Ranger turned and started to leave when he noticed Eolayn. He stopped, his eyes widening.

"You!" he said in surprise, striding over to her.

"You're alive," she said happily, smiling widely.

"Do you know each other?" the elf asked in confusion.

"She tried to save me from falling over the cliff, but she couldn't reach me in time," he said, never taking his eyes off of her.

"It seems that I have misjudged you," the elf said. Eolayn looked at his ashamed expression. "Please forgive me."

"You are forgiven," Eolayn said slowly, bowing her head slightly.

"Please," Kedriel interjected, "what are your names?"

"I am Legolas of the Woodland Realm," the elf said, bowing to each of them in turn.

"And I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn," the Ranger said. It took the women a moment to register the name, but they finally recognized him. Gandalf had spoken of him many times: Isildor's heir and heir to the throne of Gondor. "Who are you?"

"I am Eolayn, and this is Kedriel," she said, wishing to keep the explanation as short as possible. "Gandalf sent for us." The bearded dwarf suddenly showed up next to Aragorn.

"Good to have you back, lady," he said roughly, slapping the Ranger on the back. "I am Gimli, son of Gloin," he directed toward the two women. "It is good to have you with us." They thanked him for his kindness.

"Come," Eolayn said, "there will be time for talk later. For now, there's a battle to be preparing for."


	3. Preparation

**A/N: Hey there everyone! So if you are wondering about the elvish conversations in the last chapter, don't bother trying to put the words in a translator because it will come out as gibberish. Some of the words I wanted to use are not in the elvish language so it's a loose translation. If you want to know what was being said then please private message me and I will gladly tell you. And feel free to do that for any of the future chapters as well. On with it then!**

"Are you any good with that?" Aragorn asked Eolayn as they stood around, waiting for nightfall. He had gestured toward her hand-and-a-half sword. She only smirked and gripped the hilt. Eolayn didn't want to show off, but the opportunity was just too good to pass up. With a single deft movement, she used her lightning speed and agility to slip past his defenses and press her blade against his throat.

"What do you think?" she replied playfully, their noses mere inches from each other. He smirked in reply as she released him after a moment.

"Impressive," he said, acting only slightly impressed, but Eolayn knew better. She could see the light shining in his eyes.

"Care to spar a little?" she offered. They were standing in the now relatively clear courtyard; all of the women and children had been moved into the mountain caves.

Reluctantly, he agreed and took his stance. Eolayn raised her blade and gestured slightly that he could attack first. He readily obliged her. Aragorn's sword was a two-handed sword, rather large, bulky, and cumbersome, and very slow in comparison to Eolayn's lighter blade. She'd placed her block well in advance before his blade struck her own.

After a few more failed attempts at breaking her defenses, Eolayn began to realize that Aragorn moved in a set pattern. His moves and attacks only became more and more predictable.

He brought his sword down in a slicing arc, but she easily blocked it. Only this time, she overpowered him and twirled their blades, gaining a chance to attack. She spun in a tight circle and aimed for his thigh. He barely brought his blade down in time to block the swift attack. His parry did nothing to phase Eolayn, however. She quickly moved again, succeeding in driving him back slightly. By this time, quite a crowd had gathered on the edges of the courtyard to watch the match. Eolayn only tuned them all out.

Eolayn could feel Aragorn weakening beneath her blade and she knew that the battle would soon be drawing to a close. She quickened her pace slightly and managed to nick him a few times before she thrust her blade upward in a quick motion against the hilt of his blade, causing the bulky sword to fly into the air, leaving Aragorn defenseless. Her blade pressed against his throat for the second time and he raised his hands in defeat.

Eolayn caught Aragorn's sword as it hurtled back to meet the earth. She twirled it at her side and handed it by the hilt back to its owner.

"You fight extremely well," Aragorn complimented her.

"Thank you," she said, laughing slightly. "Kedriel has only ever beaten me once, and I got distracted, so I don't think that really counts." Eolayn suddenly noticed Legolas coming towards them through the crowd. Eolayn quickly slipped away before she had to say anything to him.

She found Kedriel standing along the wall, gazing out over the land before her. "Tanya quell dagora," Kedriel said without averting her eyes from the landscape.

"Lle savaya?" Kedriel nodded slowly. "Il i'quel tela dagora, nan'ta tela i joya. Ro tella an thota," Eolayn said, crossing her arms.

"Ro n'uma chaya en'nuquerna lle, uan'ro dagora eithel ilya i'atya'," Kedriel paused. "He is everything that Gandalf said he would be," she said quietly. Eolayn sighed heavily.

"Let us hope so," she said.

~*~

Eolayn was in the stables, brushing Mordo's coat. He nickered happily and nudged her shoulder with his nose. She patted him lovingly on the nose and continued brushing him. Suddenly, the horse tensed and whinnied nervously. She leaned around the horse's neck to see what was wrong and merely rolled her eyes at what she saw.

"Did you need something?" she snapped irritably. He moved around the horse to stand near her.

"I came to speak to you," Legolas said. She tried to ignore him but his persistence made that impossible.

"What is it?" she asked, avoiding all eye contact with him.

"I can't help but feel that you haven't completely forgiven me yet," he said slowly. "I apologized for the way I acted and ask what it is that I have done to offend you so." She sighed and turned to face him.

"I too am sorry for the way that I have acted," she admitted begrudgingly. He looked slightly surprised but allowed her to finish. "I have a bad temper and am notorious for holding a grudge about stupid things. I beg your forgiveness."

"Um, well," he stuttered, "that wasn't exactly what I was expecting to hear. Apology accepted." Eolayn smiled pleasantly and went back to brushing Mordo. She knew that part of the reason she'd apologized was to get him off her back, but part of it was that she was sorry she was holding a grudge.

"So what brings you so far from your home?" she asked. Legolas grabbed another brush and moved closer to her, helping her brush the stallion.

"It's a long story," he replied softly.

"You were a part of the Fellowship of the Ring, weren't you?" He looked taken aback.

"How do you know about that?" he demanded. She only laughed at his surprise.

"I was a student of Gandalf," she said, still giggling. "He told Kedriel and me all about it."

"Oh," was all he said. "Where do you come from? How did you come to be a student of the Mithrandir? I thought they only admitted men into their ranks."

"Do you never run out of questions?" she laughed. He only smiled in chagrin. "Well, to answer your first question, I am from Rohan. I grew up in Edoras because my father was a part of the King's court, but that was a long time ago. As to your second question, Gandalf came calling on the King one day and sensed something within me. He invited me to come and study with him and I accepted. My parents were a bit more reluctant, but they finally conceded. I was only fourteen.

"To the matter of your third question, the Mithrandir…" She was cut off by a horn blowing in the distance. Legolas and Eolayn looked at each other, her face frightened and his ecstatic.

"That is no Orc horn," he said. They both raced out to the wall to see what was going on. The sight that greeted them was a joyous one indeed. The elves had arrived to help!

Eolayn was standing very close to Legolas, and when he turned to look at her, she found that their faces were dangerously close. Quickly, she pulled away, feeling the blood rushing to her face. '_Why am I blushing?!' _she thought to herself. He changed the subject in a flash.

"Let's go down to greet them," he said. She quickly agreed and followed him down to the main gate.

~*~

The elves' numbers had greatly helped in boosting the morale and the numbers of the men, but it was still not enough. Aragorn and Legolas had even gotten into a little scuff about it in the armory, but that didn't matter now. The only thing that mattered was that night had fallen and the armies of Isengard were rapidly approaching.

Suddenly, Eolayn and Kedriel could see the monsters from their place along the Southern Wall. All was quiet in the keep as the sound of armor clanking and pounding feet reached them across the plains. They got closer and closer until they finally stopped a few hundred yards away from the wall.

They began stomping and beating shields and roaring like animals. The archers readied and pulled back on the strings of their bows. "Faeg i-var din na lanc a nu ranc," Legolas said.

"A-Eurichin," Eolayn growled. Suddenly, an arrow let loose from the Northern wall and pierced an Orc in the neck. All cries from the advancing army ceased as their comrade fell dead upon the ground. Enraged, the beasts let loose a cry. The Battle for Helm's Deep had begun.

** Yay! Please review! The next chapter will be everything that happens during the battle so get ready for the action! Hope you enjoy! Oh, I also decided that I don't know who the girls will end up with so get your suggestions in now. Thanks! **


	4. The Battle For Helm's Deep

**A/N: Here it is! Chapter 4! This whole chapter is basically just the battle for Helm's Deep. You guys are lucky because I'm going to put up Chapter 5 right after this one. Here you go! **

The beasts surged forward toward the wall. "Naur!" Aragorn called out. Eolayn released an arrow and saw its intended target scream in agony and fall twitching to the ground. Kedriel did the same. They kept on coming in droves and suddenly they were lifting ladders against the wall. Kedriel knocked a few off before it rested against the stone. "Marei desiel!" Aragorn said. Eolayn stored her bow in the quiver on her back and unsheathed her blade, bloodlust gleaming in her eyes.

An Orc vaulted over the top of the ladder closest to her but she quickly disposed of it before it landed on the stone ledge. They came up the ladders like insects, more of their swarm waiting for their chance at the bottom.

Kedriel heard Gimli calling out numbers. "Legolas!" he called. "Two already!"

"I'm on seventeen!" Legolas replied heartily.

"I don't know how you're out-scoring me!" Gimli yelled. Kedriel only laughed at their silly game and hacked her shortswords into the collarbone of an advancing Orc.

Eolayn cut down every Orc within her sight, slashing blindly but with a purpose. The battle raged on around her, but all she could see was whatever enemy that lay before her.

The battle was going well, until Eolayn heard Aragorn yell in elvish, "Legolas! Bring him down! Bring him down!" She paused after hacking the arm off of an Uruk-Hai to look out over the wall and see what was going on. There was an Uruk-Hai sprinting through a break in the line straight towards the wall, a flaming torch in his hand. Legolas shot him twice in his exposed chest, but it did nothing to stop the creature. He jumped at the last second before he fell, igniting the explosives set against the wall.

Kedriel was on the far end of the wall when the massive explosion rocked the foundations beneath her feet. Her head snapped around as she looked at the flying pieces of stone and humans. Eolayn, however, was standing very close to where the wall had exploded. She flew into the air and landed with a thud on hard stone, and then she saw no more.

Kedriel ran down into the area where the Uruk-Hai were storming the keep. Aragorn was leading a garrison of elvish archers in a charge against the advancing monsters. Quickly, she joined in on the fight, pulling her shortsword from its sheath at her side.

They did their best to push the beasts back, but it soon became apparent that all of their efforts were futile. The numbers of Isengard were too overwhelming for them. They were losing men left and right. "Aragorn!" Kedriel heard King Théoden yell over all of the noise. "Get your men out of there!"

"Lanta n'alaquel!" Aragorn yelled, signaling the retreat. Kedriel wasted no time in sprinting for her life; she knew when a battle was lost. The Orcs and Uruk-Hai advanced even stronger than before and began to swarm all around them.

Kedriel searched frantically for Eolayn, but she was nowhere to be found. Legolas saw her distress and rushed over. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"It's Eolayn! I can't find her anywhere!" she screamed in terror.

"Don't worry!" Legolas replied. "I'll find her!" Legolas left Kedriel standing there, distraught.

He had seen Eolayn fighting by him when the explosion had happened, but that was the last time he'd seen her. He looked around desperately but there was still an influx of retreating men fleeing the Orcs and Uruk-Hai blocking his way. The crowd fought against him the whole way, but he finally made it through. Then he saw her…

She lay unconscious on a stone parapet, out of the way of most of the traffic. Legolas rushed over and knelt down beside her, pulling her head up into his lap. "Eolayn," he said, slightly shaking her. Slowly, she opened her green eyes, looking up at him with a mixture of gratitude and confusion.

"What happened?" she muttered, sitting up and rubbing the back of her aching head.

"There was an explosion," he said. "You must have been knocked off your feet and hit your head."

"What's going on now?" she asked, gazing around at all the fleeing men.

"Théoden ordered a retreat to the keep," he said angrily, unhappy with the king's decision. "Come on, we have to get you out of here." He helped her stagger to her feet and quickly led her away both to safety and her best friend.

"Thank the stars, you're all right!" Kedriel exclaimed as she pulled her friend into a tight, quick embrace. "I was so worried."

"I'm fine," Eolayn said, taking her sword that Legolas had picked up for her. "Now, let's get back into the action." She rushed off to rejoin the battle at the front of the wall, cutting down every enemy in her way.

She fought bravely for as long as she could, but there were just too many of them. They retreated back into the inner rooms of the keep, but some still lingered, fighting to the very end.

Kedriel and Eolayn retreated to the main hall where the king and his men defended the main gate. It was being brutally bombarded by the Orcs on the other side. Eolayn briefly glimpsed Aragorn and Gimli disappear through a doorway, but she soon forgot them, focusing only on bracing the gate.

A few minutes later, Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas joined them in the main hall. Eolayn went over to Aragorn, whose face looked somewhat dejected.

"Is there any hope?" she asked, searching his icy blue eyes for any sign that they might be victorious.

"Not much," he replied. Then, he looked over to a window, Eolayn following his gaze. "Look for my coming, at second light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the east," he muttered.

"What?" she asked, confused. He looked at her, his face taking on a look of happiness.

"We must ride out," he said. Quickly, he went over to King Théoden. "Ride out with me," he said. The king slowly smiled and nodded.

"Kedriel!" Eolayn called to the she-elf where she still stood by the main gate. "Get Faire! Quickly!" Kedriel came over.

"What?" she asked incredulously. "Why?" Eolayn smirked.

"We ride!" she said excitedly. A smile slowly spread across Kedriel's face.

"Uma!" she exclaimed. The two women raced into the stables and retrieved their horses from their stalls. They quickly mounted and fell in line behind the king, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli.

"For death and glory!" King Théoden shouted, rallying the men.

"For Rohan, for your people!" Aragorn added.

The riders burst through the gate, startling the Orcs beyond it. They split through their enemies, cutting them down. Riding into the mayhem, all they could think of was victory. Then, Eolayn saw something on the top of the eastern hill. She looked up and saw…

"Kedriel!" she cried. "Look!" Kedriel followed her gaze and called out in joy.

"Gandalf!" she yelled happily. "He's here!" Not only was it Gandalf, but he had also brought the cavalry, quite literally. With him were two thousand Riders of Rohan.

They came thundering down the mountain, the Orcs turning to stop them. They raised their pikes to spear the horses. But, just as the horses were about to reach the bottom, the sun broke free from behind the mountain, blinding the Orcs. The Orcs' pikes were raised above their heads and Gandalf and the others easily overtook them during the Orcs' moment of weakness.

This surge of force renewed the vigor of the rest of the soldiers. They rallied together, slashing out at every Orc that crossed their paths. Soon enough, the Orcs realized that the battle was lost and they began the retreat.

"Victory!" King Théoden yelled in triumph, raising his sword above his head.

"I'dagora lakilea!" Eolayn shouted as she chased the last of the Orcs back to the opening from whence they first came. She stopped at the top of the hill. Kedriel soon joined her, along with Gandalf, the king, Aragorn, Legolas, and a man that she'd never seen before.

"The battle for Helm's Deep is won," Gandalf said solemnly. "But the battle for Middle Earth is about to begin."

Kedriel and Eolayn looked at each other nervously. "A' i'tela?" Eolayn asked.

Kedriel nodded darkly. "A' i'tela."

**Ok so I'm gonna take the advice of amrawo and just put all the things said in elvish and their translations down here. **

"Naur!" Aragorn called out- "Fire!" Aragorn called out.

"Marei desiel!" Aragorn said- "Make ready!" Aragorn said.

"Lanta n'alaquel!" Aragorn called, signaling the retreat- "Fall back!" Aragorn called, signaling the retreat.

"Uma!" she exclaimed- "Yes!" she exclaimed.

"I'dagora lakilea!" Eolayn shouted as she chased the last of the Orcs…-"The battle is ours!" Eolayn shouted…

"A' i'tela?" Eolayn asked.

Kedriel nodded darkly. "A' i'tela."- "To the end?" Eolayn asked.

Kedriel nodded darkly. "To the end."


	5. A Purpose

**A/N: Here it is! Chapter 5! I think this chapter is pretty funny but please tell me what **_**you **_**think about it. Do enjoy this rare occasion when I can put two chapters up in one day because I am home sick from school. Hope you like it! **

"It is good to see you again, Teacher," Kedriel said once they were back in the makeshift throne room of Helm's Deep. Gandalf smiled at his two former students that stood before him.

"And you, my pupils. It has been a long time," he said, putting a hand on each of their shoulders.

"We've hardly seen you since you set out on that journey with Bilbo, what was it? Sixty years ago?" Eolayn said, laughing slightly.

"Yes, I believe it has been that long," he said. He studied the two women's faces for a moment. "There is something weighing heavily on you minds. Tell me, what is it that troubles you so?"

"Well," Eolayn began slowly, "we were just wondering why you sent for us. In your letter, you never specified what exactly you wanted us for."

"Ah yes," the old man said knowingly, " I suppose that would be a helpful bit of information. Well, to put it plainly, you were brought here to do exactly what you have already done, and that is: to fight. Few Mithrandir are talented swordsman, and even fewer are, quite frankly, young enough to be of any use on the battlefield. But that is not the only reason why I sent for you.

"I have often commented on both of your political and diplomatic skills. Both of you have the minds of the kings of old, and I am going to need that for what I have planned," he said, his voice dropping to almost a whisper.

"What do you have planned?" Kedriel asked, the two of them leaning in closer.

"Not only do I need your political skills, but also your powers of female persuasion." That made both of them stop and think for a moment. "I need you to help me convince Théoden to join in the War of the Ring. I think that this battle has helped slightly in doing that, but he needs more prodding."

"How do you expect us to do this?" Eolayn asked, thinking of what Gandalf could have meant by "female persuasion". The results of her pondering were by no means pleasant.

"Through him," Gandalf said, slightly gesturing to the open doorway of the throne room. They turned and saw a man in the armor of the Rohirrim. Eolayn realized that he was the man she'd seen while sitting atop the hill that she had not recognized.

"Who is he?" she asked as she turned back to the old man.

"That is Eomer. He is Théoden's nephew," he said. Kedriel nodded knowingly. "Get close to him and try to persuade him in any way that you can."

"You want us to flirt," Kedriel stated plainly.

"Basically, yes," the old man said, smiling wickedly. "But only one of you is required to do this job." The two women looked at each other. Kedriel merely had to glance suggestively down at Eolayn's chest.

"Ugh!" she protested, rolling her eyes. "Why is it always me?" Kedriel only smirked.

"It isn't my fault that you're more…blessed," she said, snickering as a blush slowly crept into Eolayn's cheeks.

"This is my mother's fault," she grumbled sullenly. "Very well, I'll do it, but I'm not happy about it."

"Oh, well that's plain enough," Kedriel said, smirking.

"Don't think you're out of the woods yet, my dear Kedriel," Gandalf said, smiling at the girls' banter. "You have another job. Do you see her?" He pointed over to the throne at the blonde woman that they'd seen before. "That is Eowyn, Théoden's niece. You must befriend her, and…persuade her in a different way: through friendship." Kedriel thought her job less arduous than Eolayn's. She only hoped this Eowyn wasn't as stubborn as Eolayn, the only friend she'd ever known.

"Fine," she pouted.

"Come now, girls," Gandalf said, spreading his arms wide, "it won't be that bad. I have the utmost faith in your abilities." Eolayn and Kedriel couldn't stay mad at their old teacher. They smiled and nodded. Gandalf led them over to the throne where Théoden sat.

"Ah, there you are," he said. "I trust that your purpose has become clear?" This question was directed towards the girls.

"Quite," they said in unison, as sweetly as they could muster.

"Good, very good," he said. "Well, you are always welcome in my halls."

"Thank you," they said. Eolayn glanced over at the king's nephew, who just happened to be looking at her as well.

_He's handsome enough, I suppose, _she thought to herself.

"Ah," the king exclaimed, "may I introduce my niece and nephew, Eowyn and Eomer. Eowyn, Eomer, this is Kedriel and Eolayn." He gestured to each of them and they all bowed in turn.

Eolayn made sure that when she stood straight again that she was standing in the perfect position to show off her…assets.

"We will be returning to Edoras at once," the king said. "I suggest you all prepare for the journey. And then," he looked at Gandalf, "to Isengard?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," he said. "Word of a great battle there has reached my ears. I believe we should investigate."

"Yes," Théoden mumbled. "Very well, let us not linger in this place."

Eolayn smiled in the most…inviting way she could think of before she sauntered out of the throne room. Kedriel only smirked at her friend.

"What?" Eolayn asked innocently.

"You're just a little _too _good at that," Kedriel said. Eolayn flipped her hair over her shoulder and stuck her nose in the air.

"Lle ier handasse," she said. Kedriel blushed fiercely and then chased her friend all the way to the stables, attempting to hit Eolayn the entire way there.

~*~

There was no wasting time. They got straight to work. Kedriel rode next to Eowyn as she walked on the way back to Edoras. It was hard to talk to her, since all Eowyn wanted to do was talk to Aragorn.

"It must be fascinating, living as a Mithrandir," she said once Kedriel finally tore her attention away from the Ranger.

"It certainly has its moments," she laughed. "That battle being one of them."

"Oh, how I wish I could have joined you on the battlefield. But my uncle insisted that I go into the caves with the women and children," she said, slightly pouting.

"That is a great responsibility," Kedriel countered.

"Yes, but not the one that I want," she replied. " I want only to be of use, not sit in my gilded cage for the rest of my life."

"You're time will come," Kedriel said kindly. She didn't really like this woman, but she had to pretend: she had a job to do. Eolayn, however, was enjoying shamelessly flirting with Eomer. She'd never done this before, but she found it somewhat amusing.

Eolayn pulled up beside Eomer. He glanced over at her and she smiled. She noticed him suddenly sit up a little straighter in his saddle. She had to think of something to say to break the ice, and quick.

"The scenery is so breathtaking," she said, a bit too dramatically.

"Have you never set your eyes upon Rohan before, m'lady?" he asked. She glanced over at him.

"Oh," she said innocently," yes. It was once my home. But it is much changed since I left. There were more people then. But the lack of population gives the land a raw and wild beauty, do not you agree?" She rolled her shoulders back and placed her chest slightly forward. Eomer seemed to notice this.

"Quite," he said, swallowing the lump in his throat. "That is a magnificent animal you have there," he said, quickly changing the subject. She patted the stallion on the neck.

"Yes, Mordo is a fine animal. He's the best long distance horse I've ever seen, and wonderful in battle," she said. "But _you _know all about riding, don't you? Horses, I mean."

"I know enough," he said. "Mordo; that is an interesting name. What does it mean?" She smiled.

"It is elvish," she explained. "It means 'shadow'." He nodded and continued to examine the horse.

"Where did you get him?" he asked. Eolayn snapped out of her silly-flirt mode for a moment.

"All Mithrandir must Choose their own horse, and the horse must Choose them," she said. "As you may have noticed, Gandalf Chose, and was Chosen by, Shadowfax: a mearas. The mearas usually do not Choose Mithrandir; they prefer men of Rohan, but it has happened on a few occasions in our history. To be Chosen by a mearas is a great honor.

"Mordo is an odd mearas; they are usually white or silver. But I suppose that is what drew him to me. I was ecstatic when he Chose me as well. Kedriel's horse, Faire, is a mearas as well, though of the normal variety. Her name means 'ghost'." Eomer turned and admired Faire from afar.

"Mearas," he whispered. "That explains why I was so attracted to you, umm…them, I meant them: the horses." Eolayn laughed her most charming laugh.

"I knew what you meant," she said, looking at him sideways from underneath her long eyelashes. She'd seen her mother use this trick on her father many times before whenever she had wanted something, or to get her way. It made men think of only one thing…

"So," she said, "King Théoden is your uncle? I heard the tale of his son's tragic death. Does that not mean that you are next in line for the throne?" He smirked slightly.

"The throne could go to either my sister or myself," he said. "It all depends on who my uncle chooses. Between you and me," he dropped his voice, " I hope he chooses my sister."

"You do not want to be king?" she asked incredulously.

"No," he stated plainly, "I only wish to be free; to ride across the open plains, with the wind at my back and a never-ending expanse of land before me."

"That is quite a dream," she said quietly.

"What is your dream, m'lady?" he asked. She turned her head away from him and gazed out over the land. He noticed her sudden change in mood. "Forgive me. I did not mean to pry."

"No, it's alright," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "I only dream of finding happiness."

"You are not happy?" he asked. This seemed odd to him, for she had been so full of life when they'd spoken only a moment ago. She did not answer for a long time. "I am sorry if I offended you," he said, the admonishment clear in his voice.

"No, it isn't you," she said hastily. "I have just never known true happiness."

"You speak of love," he said. She only smiled sadly: he was falling into her trap perfectly.

"Perhaps," she whispered, "if that is what will make me happy. But I do not know for sure." He looked at her for the longest time, trying to figure her out. When she finally noticed his stare she took back on her flirting exterior.

"What?" she asked. He only continued to stare.

"I do not know," he finally said. "I'm trying to figure out what it is about you that captivates me so." A slow blush crept into her cheeks, but she only smiled.

"Let me know when you find out," she said, her voice low and seductive. With that, she turned Mordo around and headed back to Kedriel.

"Did it work? Did he take the bait?" Kedriel asked. Eolayn smirked triumphantly.

"Like a fish to the worm," she replied. "He's caught in my web already."

"You're shameless, you know that?" Kedriel said.

"Hey, you volunteered me for the job. And like you said, I'm better at it than you are," she said, laughing.

"I never said that!" Kedriel protested.

"Yes, but you know it's true." Eolayn laughed and Kedriel couldn't help but laugh with her. "How goes it with your prey?" she asked. They glanced over at Eowyn who was, once again, occupied with Aragorn. Kedriel groaned slightly.

"She's a bit tougher, but I think she'll come around eventually…maybe," she said. "It seems like your job is the easier of the two. I'm starting to wish I'd taken it."

"Too late," Eolayn snorted. "I've got him hooked. Just focus on your own project." Suddenly, Edoras came into their sights and Eolayn felt a pang of longing go through her heart as she gazed at her old home. "It seems so different. I've returned home, but with a different purpose this time."

**Elvish translation: **

"Lle ier handasse," she said. Kedriel blushed…- "You would know," she said. Kedriel blushed…


	6. Phantoms In The Night

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry I've been away so long but things have been crazy for a while. But, I watched the movies yesterday and I got pulled back into this fic. So here we go with chapter 6! Oh, and for those of you who don't know, Meduseld is the name of the king's "castle" at Edoras. Now on with chapter 6!**

Eolayn marveled at the city of Edoras as they slowly rode through it.

"It's amazing how much this place has changed since I was last here," she whispered to herself. Slowly, she looked around at the dilapidated homes. And then…Meduseld came into view. She'd grown up playing in the home of the king, but now it seemed to have lost some of its magic. Everything seemed to be veiled in a hazy gray. The life had gone out of her home.

She caught herself—more than once—searching though the crowds for the faces of her family, but she knew that was impossible; they would be long dead by now. Kedriel seemed to notice her friend's dampened mood.

"This must be hard for you," she said quietly, riding close to Mordo.

"It is," Eolayn replied. "It's strange, but I keep expecting to see them everywhere I look. I only disappoint myself every time I don't see them." Eolayn felt a tear sliding down her cheek, and that's when she saw Eomer watching her. Quickly, she wiped the tear away and looked in the opposite direction.

"I'm sorry, Eolayn, but you must push through," Kedriel said, not unkindly. "We have a job to do, and we can't forget that."

"I know," Eolayn sighed. "I'll muddle through somehow. Don't worry about me." She put on a fake smile for her friend, but she was still hurting deeply inside.

They deposited their horses in the stables and left instructions with the stableboys for their care. Eolayn noticed only subtle differences in the castle stronghold as the light of day faded away, compared to the major differences of the city. She'd spent her childhood in this place, and she was bombarded by pleasant memories.

"I'm just going to look around for a while," she said to Kedriel. The elf nodded knowingly and left her friend to her bittersweet memories.

Eolayn wandered the corridors she used to play in as a child, fondly recalling those carefree and wondrous days. She remembered all of her friends, and one particular friend above the rest. Folca…

It pained Eolayn to admit her age, but the memories forced her to acknowledge it. She'd grown up with Folca; he was the king's son, and she was the daughter of a member of King Walda's court. They'd been best friends…She left to join the ranks of the Mithrandir in the year 2837…it was now the year 3019…he was long gone by now.

When she was fourteen he was sixteen, and they'd promised each other that they'd be married one day. She was to be the queen of Rohan…but that was before Gandalf had turned her world upside down.

As she passed by the numerous tapestries depicting the histories of Rohan, she came across the section she'd never seen before: the last one hundred and eighty-two years that she'd missed. Eolayn studied the pictures and stopped at one in particular. It showed the thirteenth king of Rohan, Folca the Hunter, and was dated 2864. The tapestry was showing his death.

Eolayn felt tears coming into her eyes. She hadn't expected him to still be alive—that would be ridiculous—but seeing how he had died affected her deeply. Apparently, he'd been killed on a hunt for the Boar of Everhold, having sustained a mortal wound inflicted by the beast.

She cried as she saw the man she'd been in love with for over one hundred years being gored by a wild pig. As she poured out her sorrows, a hand appeared on her shoulder. Swiftly, she turned and saw Eomer standing there behind her.

"Is everything all right, m'lady?" he asked in generous concern. Eolayn quickly wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," she lied, sniffling softly.

"Forgive me, m'lady, but you are not fine," he argued. She looked up into his eyes and saw an unexpected kindness there.

Eolayn sighed heavily. "Very well," she said sadly, turning her head away from him. "You're right. I'm not fine."

"Tell me what's bothering you," he said softly.

"I grew up here," she began, "in Meduseld." Eomer looked confused.

"I do not remember seeing you before," he said confusedly.

Eolayn barked a short, ironic laugh. "I grew up here over a hundred years ago," she said, looking up at him from under her lashes. Eomer's eyes widened. "Yes; I know you find it hard to believe, but I'm a lot older than I look." She sighed deeply. "I guess I better start at the beginning.

"I was born in the year 2823 to a high-ranking member of King Walda's court. I grew up in Meduseld with the other children of the court. One child in particular was my best friend: Prince Folca. There was no separating us. When I was fourteen and he was sixteen, we promised each other we would be married one day.

"When Folca told his father what we'd planned, King Walda was overjoyed. He blessed the match and we were officially betrothed. My family couldn't have been happier with the match; I was to be the queen of Rohan. To say the least, my father was ecstatic."

Eomer seemed to grow a bit uncomfortable at the talk. "That is certainly an accomplishment," he said, seeming to talk just to talk.

"Anyways, things were going perfectly, or so it seemed," Eolayn continued, stroking one of the ancient tapestries. "Then, one day, Gandalf came to visit King Walda. It seemed to be just a social visit, but it was anything but. As the betrothed of the prince, naturally, I was invited to the welcoming supper.

"When I first met Gandalf, he looked at me in such a way that sent a chill straight to my bones. It was over a hundred years ago, but I still remember it like it was yesterday. After supper, I went outside for some air. And that's when he came to me.

"He told me that I was different from other people, and I knew what he was speaking of. As a child, I'd been able to speak to animals, move objects without touching them, and all other sorts of things. Somehow, I'd managed to keep it hidden from everyone, even Folca. But Gandalf knew; somehow, he'd known what I was.

"He offered to train me up in the ways of the Mithrandir; make me into a warrior of magic. At first, I was hesitant to embrace what I knew I was meant to do. But then I realized that I had the chance to do something great with my life. I wanted to make a difference in the lives of many."

"You could have done that as the queen," Eomer countered. Eolayn laughed lightly.

"Yes, I suppose I would have. But, no offense intended to anyone, how much difference could I have made for Middle Earth by settling disputes between farmers?" Eomer knew the truth in her words, but he said nothing. "Anyways, I talked to Folca before I confronted my parents. I told him why I wanted to go. I knew that I loved him when he said he completely understood. Folca said he wanted me to be happy, and that I should do what made me happy, even if it meant I had to leave him. I knew that I'd never see him again, but I would love him for all of forever." Eolayn paused, feeling herself getting choked up.

"So," she continued, "then I had to tell my parents. They weren't quite so considerate as Folca. My mother admonished me fiercely for throwing away my chance to sit on the throne, but they eventually came round. I left with Gandalf two weeks after I met him, and I never saw Folca or any of my family ever again. It was the hardest decision I've ever had to make, but I like to think that I made the right choice."

"I think you did a wonderful thing. You sacrificed your true love and the throne of Rohan to do something great with your life. I greatly admire you for that," Eomer said, chancing a touch on her shoulder. "Besides, if it weren't for Gandalf and the magic of the Mithrandir, I would never have met you. For that, I am forever grateful."

Eolayn gave him a genuine smile and then saw a golden opportunity to work at her mission.

"I believe," she said slowly, "that everyone should get the chance to do something great with their lives." Eomer moved a little closer to her.

"What great thing could I ever do?" he said. "My uncle is king, not I."

"A man does not need to be a king to do something great," she said. "But, you _do _hold the influence to make something great happen." Eolayn stepped a little closer to him, brushing imaginary dust off his shoulder.

"What do you suggest, m'lady?" he asked, gazing at her intently, but still retaining a bit of playfulness in his hazel colored eyes.

"A great man would put petty differences aside and come to the aid of Gondor," she said, choosing her words carefully. "A great man would not stand aside and watch innocent lives be taken by brutal monsters." Eomer seemed to study her for a while. "Take up arms and join this war!" she whispered urgently.

"I wish it were that simply, m'lady," he said. Eolayn smiled her most charming smile.

"Please, I beg of you, call me Eolayn," she said. "Just talk to your uncle, will you? For me?" She stared at him with big doe eyes for a moment.

"For you, Eolayn," he whispered, taking up her hand and kissing it gently. She smiled sweetly at him and planted a kiss on his stubbled cheek.

"Thank you, Eomer," she whispered back, close to his ear. And with that, like the tease that she was, she left him. Then, she met up with Kedriel in the Great Hall.

"Are you all right?" Kedriel asked. "You look flustered."

"Amin kwentra a'Eomer," she said quietly. (_I spoke to Eomer_)

"Ro saya uma?" Kedriel asked urgently. (_Did he say yes?_)

"Uma," she replied. (_Yes._)

"Eithel," Kedriel said, looking around warily. (_Good._)

"Ro kwentra a' i' heru ta rato," she continued. (_He will speak to the king about it soon._)

"Tanya eithel," Kedriel said, studying her friend. (_That's good._) "Lle tela lle vesta eithel. Ikotane mankoi lle en ikotane gorgane?" (_You've done your job well. So why do you look so afraid?_)

Eolayn sighed heavily. "Amin gorgane ten'…Eithel, amin gorgane ten' amin il actsos iire amin 'kwenteras' ho," she said. (_I'm afraid because…Well, I'm afraid because I wasn't acting when I was "persuading" him._)

"Mani?" Kedriel exclaimed quietly. (_What?_) "Lle mele lle ve' ho?" (_You think you really like him?_)

"Deanam…Ugh! Amin il kwenrat," she replied. (_Maybe…Ugh! I don't know._) "Ilya amin uin mi ana naraca pusta ho hec nya hon." (_All I can do is to try my hardest to put him out of my mind._)

"Eithel, ten' lle kwenrat i' sanye," Kedriel admonished. (_Good, because you know the rules._)

"Amin kwenrat, amin kwenrat, " Eolayn snapped back. (_I know, I know._) " Ava vanye imbe' ta, uma?" (_Don't worry about it, okay?_) Kedriel nodded slowly but made a note to herself to keep an eye on Eolayn and the king's nephew. "How is your mission coming?" Eolayn asked, changing the subject and the language.

"Not as well as yours, that's for certain," Kedriel replied bitterly. "All the whiny little brat wants to talk about is that scraggly Ranger, Aragorn."

"Well, I can't blame her," Eolayn said. "Ho na' vorima mailea." (_He is very handsome._)

"Anyways," she continued as if the conversation diversion had never happened, "she's going to be a lot tougher nut to crack than her brother. _That, _I can be sure of."

"Don't worry," Eolayn said, slapping her friend on the shoulder, "I have faith in your abilities."

"Thanks," Kedriel replied sarcastically. Eolayn then noticed the elf, Legolas, walking towards them and it took everything within her power to mask her disgust. She didn't know what it was, but there was something about him that she found extremely…distasteful.

"Excuse me," she whispered in Kedriel's ear, "but I have to go and vomit now." Kedriel ignored the remark and her friend as she walked away.

"Hello," Legolas said quietly as he approached her.

"Hello," she replied, holding her arms to her chest awkwardly.

"Amin maure' ana quet ana lle," he whispered. (_I need to speak to you._) She looked at him for a moment, fearing what he was going to say.

Kedriel had no desire to reopen those old wounds again; that was the one thing she feared the most. It had happened over two hundred years ago, but she still couldn't forget the pain she'd endured.

Without a word, she followed him outside into the brisk, night air.

**OK, that's it. Please review and tell me what you guys think. Thanks so much for reading! **


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